B Rabbit

That, my friend.... Is a thesis question / answer. It's subjective...completely... I argue with my director all the time about it. Generally...if a building has a strong concept, it will shine through, simple strong form, robust materials, proportion, rhythm, repetition tend to be pleasing on the eye. It's a very difficult question to answer without going off on one completely! and yes...clients are morons and change things...usually driven by cost... The real skill...and it is f**king hard.... Is to keep it looking good and hold onto the concept ...even once the client / developer starts stripping things out. Everyone will have an opinion..on everything... And sometimes you just get it..sometimes you don't.. I don't pretend to understand computers or horses or cars very much!

Colour in buildings is VERY marmite. The only comparison I was making was the use of colour...and how it can be done very successfully if the concept and form of the building is solid...with a limited base pallet...which we don't get on this gateway building. Everything is thrown at it and it looks a mess because of it. The idea (and I said this before) of the tower at the end of a vista is sound...therefore the scale of that element is fine... It's just delivered in such a poor manner and the use of many materials and many colours makes it worse, not better. This...is a well considered gateway building (which I had a small hand in when much younger!) which we should all be familiar with...best I can think of locally! Simple strong form, simple idea (wrapping plain and pushed / recessed glazed box on a brick plinth)... 2 materials (brick , stone (I think!)). Crisp detailing.... Not trying to be overly complicated to make a statement.... The statement comes from the strong form and wrap. The playfulness comes from the repeated and staggered glazing module (which differs from North to South face due to orientation to the sun) and inset random, yet considered, louvre system to each module.

Well I am an architect Colour is one of the factors, but isn't the overriding problem with the building... There are plenty of beautiful buildings that use colour tastefully. The issue with the building is form. The form of the building is disgusting... The architecture (ha!) is very confusing and the use of a plethora of materials and multi colours just adds to it being complete horse sh*t... It even has colour recesses to the windows which add further. It is far too much...just add it all in and it makes a mess...and it really does I'm going to throw in some 'contemporary' coloured buildings... What you'll note with them all is that they have a strong, simple and well considered base to work with...a single material or strong form and the variation and enjoyment comes from the colour... Which offsets nicely from the overall form... It adds to it, not detracts. The proportions and repetition make a strong language which doesn't exist in this w*nk piece tower with astro turf stuck to the side. All these buildings below are completely different by different people, but the ideas in each are strong because they have used colour correctly. I'm not even suggesting I like the buildings or colours ....some i do, some i'm impartial to....I think they could be too vibrant... But the concept is absolutely sound... Simple base material and form offset with the colour...which completely opposite to the gateway project which tries to do everything....and therefore fails. Simple, strong form, clean material pallet, robust materials = good architecture. Simple doesn't mean basic... the simplest looking buildings / ideas are usually the most thought out. That last building is concrete BTW @Whitey Grandad

....and the church! Burn it!!

....and the church! Burn it!!

Each individual building is one material colour and (assumed) all the same or similar material.... So a variation of a theme or language... All the same form and scale .... Put together, it makes a beautiful, picturesque sky line / streetscape. There's no mix of materials or heights... It's coherent.... Unlike the multi coloured , multi materialed, multi scale, shower of s**t gateway building !

Watched grand designs once...read a book. Lies!

Some if us have educated, informed, professional opinions.... Others just have opinions

:o

I have re read....probably should have done that before replying first time round!

i am lost and confused... This has whooshed right over my head

It is absolutely the worst building I have ever seen. It is offensive and utter garbage and I can't believe the planners let it through. It's just utter balls!

What rumours? Friend of mine had a decent conversation with Les Reed last night and said one of the points made was that we are unlikely to sign anyone in January...J Rod back sooner rather than later (although may hold him back to make sure) and Morgan is going no where this season.

You made 2 points...both were wrong..he corrected you with facts. Why get angry? Thank him for educating you in the offside rule which now you have a better grasp of.

Had a 12 team accumulator today (£1) ... 6000/1 Guess who let us down....

Long may this all continue... And we should still be second after next weekend and hopefully still be in the cup! Alas we are only 5 games in and it's a long season...things can quickly change. Can't see Liverpool, United and spuds being rubbish all season!

Literally was just wiring a foul mouthed tirade about out final 3rd play being appalling.... And then we scored right when I was about to press reply =)

Wonder if we can increase our allocation? Although I would imagine Arsenal have already started to sell the adjacent blocks to the away support, which is a shame.

I concur. If you're on benefits...you can't afford to raise children =) and if you have a low IQ, you aren't contributing to society. Yeah I said it! Literacy tests too. No reproduction if you can't spell or construct a sentence (dyslexia victims excluded).

Maths wasn't your strong point was it mate .... 5 x 20 ?

Highlights http://www.soccerhighlightstoday.com/2014/09/video-southampton-4-0-newcastle-united.html

For about 15-20 minutes after our second goal, I thought Newcastle took the game to us and we looked a bit edgy...thought they were going to get back into. Getting in at 2-0 was crucial and allowed us to control the second half totally. They completely gave up after 3-0 and we just pushed the ball around for the last 25 minutes. very good performance though. Be special if we can get 6 from the next 2... I'd take 4 though!

I've never seen the stadium so full at half time, put it that way...

Seconded....I know Mark Vincent...very nice chap, knows his stuff. Will more than likely be able to sort you out.... Oo er!